Digestive Health

The good news: if you’re struggling with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), avoiding certain foods can help. Patients with IBS are more likely than the general population to report abdominal pain, nausea, bloating and diarrhea in response to food triggers. The bad news: many of these foods are nutritious, but poorly digested sugars and fibers that … Read More

Trillions of microbes coexist with immune cells in the intestine. A layer of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) acts as a first line of defense against microbes by separating them from immune cells. Previous studies have shown that immune cells known as intestinal lymphocytes communicate with IECs to promote tissue repair and intestinal homeostasis. Studies also show that microbiota produce metabolites such as lactate, acetate, … Read More

  From gastroenterology management organizations to big-name practices to gastroenterology device manufacturers, here are 10 power players in the GI space poised to make waves in the industry in 2023. 1. United Digestive: Atlanta-based management services organization United Digestive services major practices throughout Georgia and Florida, most recently acquiring the Gastroenterology Group of Naples and Gulfshore Endoscopy … Read More

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., January 30, 2023 — In its ongoing commitment to whole-person care, Hoag Digestive Health Institute has announced the opening of a new, comprehensive clinic that brings together a multidisciplinary team of experts who collaborate to provide a treatment plan tailored to each patients’ unique digestive health condition. Focused on managing chronic and … Read More

Did you know your brain and digestive system talk to each other? “The ‘mind-gut connection’ influences how you think and feel – and that communication is a two-way street,” said Elizabeth Raskin, M.D., surgical director for the Margolis Family Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Program within Hoag’s Digestive Health Institute. “Think of the marathon runner so … Read More

Type 2 Diabetes is a complicated disease. Put simply, it is a chronic and potentially dangerous condition that develops when the body loses its ability to process glucose, or sugar. But what causes it, what can prevent it and what can be done to manage it? That’s where things can get confusing. “While it’s true … Read More

Julie Engquist ties her shoes. She sleeps with just one pillow. She walks her dog. If these things don’t sound groundbreaking, you’ve likely never contended with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). But Julie had. For 10 years. “The pain and discomfort were overwhelming,” she said. “There were a few times where I thought I was having … Read More

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., November 14, 2022 — Hoag has recruited board-certified gastroenterologist Catherine Ngo, M.D., to head the Hoag Digestive Health Institute’s Motility Program. Dr. Ngo has built a reputation over the last decade as a compassionate, approachable and thorough physician with a strong background in motility. Gastrointestinal motility refers to the coordinated action of … Read More

Tamra Rose says she was overweight most of her adult life. But when her son turned a year and a half, and the scale tipped passed her delivery weight, Tamra had enough. She works at Hoag and had learned from a colleague that the hospital was opening a Bariatric Surgery Weight Loss Program. She had … Read More